Part 8 (2/2)
Satisfied that they could learn no more, Penny and Louise inspected the hole from which the stone had been removed, and then drove toward Riverview.
”Mr. Gleason seemed honest enough,” Penny commented thoughtfully. ”If the rock was deliberately planted on his farm I don't believe he had anything to do with it.”
”He isn't sufficiently clever to plan and carry out an idea like that,”
Louise added. ”Maybe the writing on the rock is genuine.”
”The curator of the museum thinks it may be. All the same, I'll stack Dad's opinion against them all.”
The car approached the old Marborough place, and Penny deliberately slowed down. To the surprise of the girls, they observed two automobiles parked in front of the property.
”It looks as if Mrs. Marborough has guests today,” Penny commented.
”Shall we stop and say h.e.l.lo?”
”Well, I don't know,” Louise replied doubtfully as the car drew up at the edge of the road. ”We're not really acquainted with her, and with others there--”
”They're leaving now,” Penny said, jerking her head to draw attention to a group of ladies coming down the walk toward the street.
The visitors all were known to the two girls as women prominent in Riverview club circles. Mrs. Buckmyer, a stout, pompous lady who led the procession, was speaking to the others in an agitated voice.
”In all my life I never was treated with less courtesy! Mrs. Marborough at least might have invited us into her house!”
”I always understood that she was a queer person,” contributed another, ”but one naturally would expect better manners from a Marborough.”
”I shouldn't object to her manners if only she would allow the Pilgrimage Committee the use of her house,” added a third member of the group. ”What a pity that she refuses to consider opening it during the Festival Week.”
Still chattering indignantly, the women entered their separate cars and drove away.
”What did you make of that?” Louise asked in perplexity.
”Apparently Mrs. Marborough gave them the brush off,” Penny chuckled. ”I know Mrs. Buckmyer heads the Pilgrimage Committee.”
”What's that?”
”Haven't you heard about it, Louise? A group of club women decided to raise money by conducting a tour of old houses. In this community there are a number of places which date back over a hundred years.”
”And people will pay money to see them?”
”That's the general idea. Festival Week has been set for the twenty-sixth of this month. During a five-day period the various homes are open, gardens will be on display, and costume parties may be held at them.”
”There's only one colonial house that I'd care about getting inside,”
Louise said. ”I should like to see the interior of Rose Acres.”
”Maybe we can do it now. Mrs. Marborough invited us to visit her again.”
”Yes, but did she really mean it?”
”Why not find out?” Penny laughed, swinging open the car door.
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